Away We Go

I'll Tell You What I'm Doing

What was I doing? I was going home.

When I slammed my foot on the gas, I sped past the station, causing a single cruiser police chase. Lawson slumped into his seat, bracing for any kind of impact. I made a sharp turn during a green light, making my shoulder ram into the window.

Without paying attention, two other cruisers pulled out of nowhere and began tailgating me, but I was not willing to give up that easily. I turned at the next light, this time causing Lawson to hit his head on the window. He groaned loudly and rubbed his head, trying to ease the pain. I turned once again, making him hit his head at the same spot. He responded by back-handing my shoulder hard.

The cruisers behind us pressed forward, now going bumper to bumper with our truck. I pulled into an empty parking lot and turned around, making the cruisers skid to a halt and back up. Laughing, I drove over the curbs and hurried away.

After a brief moment, the cruisers found us again and began shining their brights at me. I turned once more and saw another truck, blocking the road. I stopped and slammed my hand on the compartment between the seats. The truck pulled around the side, slowly, and stopped at the driver's side. He rolled his window down and revealed himself.

"Howdy, boys." Nick tipped his hat.

"Nick?" Lawson and I spoke at the same time.

"In the flesh."

I looked at his badge and saw that his truck was a police pick up. "You're a police officer too?" I asked.

"Of course I am." He pointed to the badge. "What makes you think I was otherwise?"

"You worked at the trinket and convenient store!" Lawson said.

"Huh, must be thinking about someone else named Nick. There are about 71,580 people with the name 'Nick,' 814,659 with the name 'Nicholas,' and 5,734 with the name Dominick. That means you have 0.001% of people named Nick of the total amount of-"

The blaring of the sirens drove past us, leaving us behind in the darkness. Lawson and I looked through the back window and saw them disappear with two other cruisers following. We looked back at Nick who shrugged.

"Guess they didn't see you." Nick shrugged.

"How?" Lawson asked. "We are out in the open!"

"I'm not sure, oh well."

Nick began rolling up his window until I knocked on it.

"You're an officer. Aren't you going to arrest us?"

"Me? Arrest you? For what? You two have been proven innocent."

"By whom?"

"Remember that officer that was sleeping at the station? He woke up when he heard the sirens. Before he could get into a cruiser, I suggested that he should look at your identification."

"How could he look at it? I have my wallet."

"You may have your wallet, but you don't have anything inside." He reached for a plastic bag with everything from my wallet inside as well as the snow globe and gave them to me. "Here you go."

I took it and nodded.

"Now, off with the two of you, or there will be an arrest." With that, he rolled his window back up and drove away.

Lawson and I just sat in the truck, dumbfounded. Saying nothing less, nothing more.

----

Before leaving the town, we stopped by a bar to get dinner and a restroom break. We sat at the bar tops and watched the live jazz band play their cover of O Tannenbaum. Lawson called for a couple of beers for us. I guess I made a face when he looked at me.

"What?" He asked.

"I don't drink." I answered.

"Then how are you still alive?"

"No, I don't drink alcohol as much as others do."

He took the bottles and handed one to me. "After the first sip, there is no turning back."

I took the bottle and gave it a small sip. It made me gag but suddenly had a sweet aftertaste. "It's... Good?"

"Eh, So it's not for everyone."

Lawson took his bottle and chugged it halfway. Slamming the glass on the counter when he finished, he ordered another one for himself. I, on the other hand, took a couple more sips and pushed the bottle away.

About an hour later, We left the bar and left the town behind us. Since I didn't drink as much as He did, I drove down the empty road of the countryside. Wasn't sure what would happen from here, Probably nothing as bad...

... Boy, was I wrong.